11/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/15/2024 09:33
FloridaCommerce Announces West Palm Beach Area Private Sector Employment Increases by 5,700 Jobs Over the Year in October 2024
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Today, FloridaCommerce announced that the West Palm Beach metro area private sector employment increased by 5,700 jobs (+0.9%) over the year in October 2024. The industry sector gaining the most jobs was education and health services, increasing by 3,300 jobs.
The West Palm Beach area unemployment rate was 3.5% in October 2024, up 0.2 percentage point from 3.3% in October 2023. The West Palm Beach metro area labor force was down 0.9% (-6,709) over the year in October 2024.
FloridaCommerce announced that Florida's statewide unemployment rate has remained lower than the national unemployment rate for four years, marking a milestone of 48 consecutive months. Florida's statewide unemployment rate remains steady at 3.3%, and in October 2024 alone, the state added 107,600 private sector jobs over-the-year.
Resources for Job Seekers:
Data in the month of October continues to indicate there are jobs available for every Floridian who wants to work, with more than 380,000 jobs posted online. Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities can utilize the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can find guidance on how to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings. Career seekers also can improve their employability by perfecting resume writing and interviewing skills, establishing career goals, and pursuing customized career training. These services are provided at no cost to job seekers.
To view the October 2024 jobs reports by region, please see below:
To view October 2024 employment data, click here.
Visit Florida Insight for more information on the labor market and economic data. Additionally, FloridaCommerce has provided a video to assist users in explaining the data provided through Florida Insight .
FloridaCommerce also announced it has approved more than $52 million in funding through the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to 1,371 businesses impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton since August. By activating this disaster recovery resource immediately after each storm small businesses gained access to critical cash-in-hand funding to keep their employees on payroll and reopen their doors as quickly as possible.
Florida small business owners in need of assistance, including sole proprietors, are encouraged to visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL for more information about the program. The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Milton. Interested applicants can apply now through December 4, 2024, or until all available funds are expended.
Additional Hurricane Recovery Resources for Employers and Employees: